This is an interesting story about how states are moving to ensure that pregnant workers have a fair chance in the workplace. In some cases, woman who were pregnant have been injured at work due to unfair policies that didn't allow them to restrict their workloads; because pregnancy isn't seen as a disability, being unable to do a job could even result in a woman losing her job.
Some common needs for pregnant women to continue working throughout their pregnancies include a stool, lighter duty, bathroom breaks and even more frequent food breaks. The interesting thing is that many workplaces wouldn't provide those things for women, and that could result in their injuries on the job. One woman who worked at a Walmart in 2013 ended up having a miscarriage because the store manager denied her request to reduce her workload temporarily. The manager argued that the policy of the company only applied to those with on-the-job injuries or disabilities. The woman miscarried the day after her request was denied.
Measures to make sure woman have accommodations during pregnancy have been passed unanimously in some states like West Virginia, and bipartisan efforts have resulted in better laws for women in Minnesota, Maryland and New Jersey. It's been argued that passing these laws for accommodation is actually good economics; the women can continue to earn an income for the family instead of potentially having to rely on public support. Simply accommodating a woman is much easier, a senator of Delaware explains, because then she doesn't have to terminate her employment. Then, the company doesn't have to retrain someone or hire someone new; that saves the company time and money in the long run.
These laws are in place to help prevent injuries to you at work. Your health and safety is important; if your employer isn't being reasonable and that results in your injuries, you may be able to seek workers' compensation or other forms of payment.
